CBS Sports CFB analysts name Miami football most overrated ACC team

CBS Sports college football analysts Barrett Sallee, Jerry Palm and David Cobb picked the Miami football team in their “ACC expert picks 2023: Most overrated and underrated teams, projected order of finish, bold predictions”  Miami is picked eighth in the ACC by CBS Sports’ panel of columnists and writers.

Miami is picked fifth in the ACC by the writers who cover the conference. After a 5-7 2022 season, not much is expected from Miami in 2023. Mario Cristobal and his staff have remade the Miami football roster. Miami has 41 new players on the 2023 roster between freshmen, junior college transfers and portal additions.

Miami needs to get off to a good start. The Hurricanes will be favored in four of its first five games. The game versus number 23 Texas A&M at Hard Rock Stadium on September 9 is the only one of the first five games, Miami is not projected to be favored. Miami opens the season on September 1 versus Miami (Ohio).

Bethune-Cookman is at Miami on September 14. Miami travels to Philadelphia to play at Temple on September 23. Following a bye week, Miami hosts Georgia Tech on October 7. The schedule gets considerably harder with a game at North Carolina on October 14. Shehan Jeyarajah summarized why the Miami football team is overrated.

"“Miami: The Hurricanes’ first season under Mario Cristobal was a complete disaster as Miami failed to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2007. Still, the preseason ACC poll slotted Miami at fifth; for context, Miami finished fifth in its own division one year ago.Modest improvements are expected in Cristobal’s second season, but no magical turnaround is coming. The schedule is even harder in 2023 as a division-less setup means Clemson, Florida State, NC State and No. 21 North Carolina are all on the schedule.Miami doesn’t even have the benefit of continuity after both coordinators left the program. Don’t be surprised if the Hurricanes are fighting for bowl eligibility at the end of the year. — Shehan Jeyarajah (Barrett Sallee, Jerry Palm, David Cobb).”"

Clemson plays at Miami on October 21. Miami plays at North Carolina State on November 4 and Florida State on November 11. The game versus Texas A&M is very winnable for Miami. Texas A&M finished 5-7 in 2022. The Aggies missed a bowl game for the second straight year for the first time since 2002 and 2003.

A split for Miami versus Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina and North Carolina State would be a huge accomplishment this season and a way to prove they are not overrated. Winning the games they are expected to after losing several games as a double-digit favorite in 2022 will be critical for Miami earning a bowl berth.